All Things Psychedelic Studies at LIB 2018

April 9th, 2018 - LIB

Over the last few decades, psychedelic research has been taboo at best and often illegal. While the ever-changing legal climate around drug policies progresses around the world, human’s understanding of plant medicines, the culture of psychedelics and much of the science is still vast and underexplored.

Expanding our consciousness into new avenues of healing and transformation, both personal and cultural, is at the heart of LIB’s diverse programming in Psychedelic Studies. Through responsible, intentional engagement with these realms, we have seen that incredible positive change is possible.

In addition to offering more programming on the subject than ever before, we are also thrilled and honored to have Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) as an official 2018 Compass Content Partner.

Preview this year’s talks and workshops on the subject, and get to know the pioneers and visionaries bringing their wisdom to LIB.

PSYCHEDELIC STUDIES CONTENT PARTNER: MAPS

The psychedelic renaissance may soon be upon the rest of the world, but psychedelic culture has deeply impacted festival and celebration from the very beginning. As the conversation crystallizes and the path forward becomes clearer, we wanted to bring the most cutting-edge pieces of the conversation to LIB in honor of that synergistic and co-evolutionary history.

For attendees new to this conversation, why is Psychedelic Studies an important focus for this community and the entire world?

“We want attendees to leave with more questions than they arrived, and want to encourage people to be intentional about everything they put in their bodies – from food to drugs, to information! We’re going to discuss psychedelics in contexts and frameworks rarely discussed in public, like how even celebratory psychedelic use can be informed by (and transform) trauma, how healing can happen beyond the present pharmaceutical healthcare model, and how the ~Big Questions~ that psychedelics pose might impact us at LIB, or our families back home.”

Ismail L. Ali, JD

MAPS Policy & Advocacy Counsel

PLANT MEDICINE OFFERINGS

Special Blackburn: Medicine for the Times: Stress and Sensitivities

The times we find ourselves in evoke a plethora of responses in the human body, from the nervous system to the gut. We’ll discuss how to help ourselves and what herbs work for a wide range of situations and intensities.

Benjamin Pixie: Magic & Medicine of the Bee

Benjamin will be sharing stories of Bees as stewards of the fecundity of life and examples of alternative styles of civilization that promote diversity. Through myth, story and honey tasting this class will ingest the sweet plant medicines of the bees while exploring the bitterness of our current experiments in civilization. We will discuss the poison and catastrophe of monoculture as exemplified in Colony Collapse Disorder. Through stories of powerful plants, pollinators and humans who remember we will untangle the webs of death and amnesia to grieve the losses and celebrate the beauties of being alive in these times of great change.

PSYCHEDELIC SCIENCE OFFERINGS

Nick Loui & Dr. Nathan Wolworth: Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence is more prevalent than ever. We see it in when we’re uploading selfies on social media when we’re shopping online, when we’re driving and we saw it redefine advertising to influence one of the most important elections in recent time.

We’ll discuss what artificial intelligence is as well as the short-term and long-term implications of the technology. As the future of AI matures, we’ll look at the ethics and legal concerns across a variety its of uses and how we as the next generation of leadership, can be prepared.

MAPS’ MDMA-assisted psychotherapy research, and research with other psychedelic-assisted therapy shows us the vast potential for psychedelics to heal trauma and help people approach wholeness. At the same time, many people – including many of us that attend festivals like LIB – have had profoundly healing experiences even in the most “recreational” contexts. This dialogue will expand upon the underlying causes of trauma – including violence, discrimination, and systemic oppression – and how that trauma is transformed in both clinical and “chaotic” contexts.

Alora Inanna: The Truth about Mary – MORE INFO COMING SOON!

CULTURE OF PSYCHEDELICS OFFERINGS

The psychedelic renaissance is here. MAPS starts its Phase III FDA trials for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD this year, legal psychedelic healing is on the horizon, and people around the world are joining the movement to vision, create, and steward systems of access to powerful healing tools like MDMA, psilocybin, ayahusca, ibogaine, and LSD. The worldwide revival of interest in sacred plants and other psychedelics has inspired many people to begin to devise alternative systems of learning, governance and healing. But what exactly does that all mean? It is exciting, but not so simple; questions of access, equity, justice, and practicality remain. In this dynamic presentation, Shannon Clare Carlin, MA (MAPS’ MDMA Therapy Training Program Manager) and Ismail Lourido Ali, JD (MAPS’ Policy & Advocacy Counsel) will share their vision for a post-prohibition world.

Carmen Vicente: Shamanism & Religiosity

Ecuadorean Medicine Woman, Carmen Vicente will share profound perspectives on the ways that Ancient Shamanism & religious beliefs are woven into modern culture and why understanding these topics are important for strengthening our relationship to our past, present, and future.

Eda Zavala Lopez: Ancient Plant Medicine in a Modern World

Indigenous peoples of the Amazon rainforest and neighboring highlands have used plant medicines and other healing traditions for thousands of years. But how do these practices fit into the modern world?

Join Peruvian healer-curandera Eda Zavala Lopez to learn about her personal journey in becoming a shaman and how she bridges her ancestors’ ancient practices with today’s pressing challenges.